I'm not a popular girl | ✔️

Nine - Telling Someone

Zoë

A loud knock sounded on Zoë's bedroom door. "Come in!"

Amber walked into the room and shut the door, pulling her mask off to reveal a frown. "So why exactly do I need to wear this? I don't have the plague or anything like that."

Zoë spun around to face Amber in her black office chair, a pencil twirling in between her fingers. "Well, people with lung cancer are more susceptible to getting sick so if you're in the same room as my mother, masks are required. Sorry not sorry. Not my fault she's sick."

"True."

"Should we play? I need a break from AP."

"It is the reason I did come here."

Amber sat on Zoë's bed and stared throwing a purple bouncy ball toward the ceiling as Zoë turned on her Mom's Wii and started Just Dance 2020. The song I like it by Cardi B blasted from the surround sound speakers as they started dancing competitively.

Amber flicked her wrists gracefully and said, "So where were you the rest of the day? Like, I get your mom being super sick and stuff but you could've come back to school."

And that was the question Zoë had been avoiding all day after lunch with Carden. If people knew she went out to lunch with him, that might make them believe their lie even more. A lie that if they dug themselves to deep, they couldn't escape. And a life with him with something she didn't want.

But Amber was her best friend. She couldn't keep things from her.

So with a deep breath, Zoë said casually, "Carden took me to McDonalds for lunch."

"Wha-OW!" Amber exclaimed as she swung her arms and they came back to hit her hard. She paused the game and stared at Zoë. "The Carden Ash took you to lunch?! Was there handholding? Please tell me he at leased hugged you or something!"

"I thought you hated him as off, I don't know, yesterday?"

"Well, feelings can change." She leaned toward Zoë with a smirk. "Spill. The. Tea."

"There is no tea to spill," was all Zoë said as she turned back toward the Wii and attempted to start it again but Amber pressed the power button.

"Ah, ah, ah. You are not escaping this conversation."

Zoë groaned. She was so exhausted. Today's events hadn't been that beneficial to her mental health. She was mentally tired and all she wanted to do was play Just Dance with Amber like they did every Wednesday night. Dancing kept her mind off of things.

The only good part of the day was lunch, as much as she hated to admit it. Lunch with Carden had helped just a bit.

Her phone buzzed. She went to grab it but Amber beat her there, reading the text greedily like the drama queen she was.

Zoë read over her shoulder.

Captain Flirt - Everything okay? Your dad hasn't showed up again, right?

Amber squealed loudly. "OMG YOU GUYS ARE SO FLIPPING CUTE! Like, Captain Flirt?" She bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly. "Is that your own personal nickname for him? And he's checking in on you?! He is totally boyfriend material!"